Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Jenovese -Love U to death EP (Self Financed, 2016)Review by Keith Langerman 'Love U To Death', the initial 4 track EP offering from Cardiff, South Wales Anthemic rockers Jenovese is a fine introduction to a band who seem to be on the verge of breaking out in a big way. Cardiff has a long history with heavy music, going all the way back to the late 1960's with the formation of the legendary Budgie, and the sounds on the EP do much to convince that time honored tradition is in good hands.The four tracks showcased here, while not breaking any new ground musically speaking, do present the band in a most favourable light. Impeccably captured on tape at legendary Rockfield Studios by Producer Romesh Dodabgoda - who helped engineer and co produce Motorhead's 'The World Is Ours'- it must be stated that recording-wise, this is not the sound of a young band deciding to go into the studio after playing a few pub gigs. This is the equal of any modern major label offering sonically speaking. Female fronted melodic metal is the name of the game here, and while it is not a new concept by any means, the emphasis on melody rather than just sheer power, as is found on the band's first single "Despair I'm Alright" could prove quite enticing to the classic rock audience, widening their potential appeal considerably. There are superb skills on show from all members of the band. From the soaring vocals courtesy of Emma Rees, the crushing guitar riffs of James Rees and Lee Jones, the pulsating bass of Leigh Matthews to the pounding drums of Bob Richards -who has been featured in the last two AC/DC videos deputizing for the legally challenged Phil Rudd - these are all fine musicians who have a clear vision of where they wish to go, and with a bit of luck and perseverance will get there just fine.The bottom line here is that although currently unsigned, Jenovese are a world class band boasting a world class sound. Based on the evidence put forth on this EP, that unsigned status won't be the case for long. 'Love U To Death' is a great release and well worth getting hold of. Highly recommended. For more information on Jenovese go to their Facebook page here

Sunday, February 9, 2014

The British blues boom of the mid to late 1960's was a musical explosion which reverberated throughout the planet. Spearheaded initially on a global scale by The Rolling Stones and subsequent UK beat groups such as The Yardbirds and The Animals, blues rock as a genre was defined when John Mayall released the seminal album 'Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton' in 1966.

Clapton's playing on the release was revelatory, inspiring literally millions of young players to wear out their vinyl copies of the recordings, learning his at the time groundbreaking guitar licks. The then 21 year old guitarist was held in such awe at the time that graffiti started sprouting up around London with the slogan "Clapton is God" spray painted on walls.

When Clapton left John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers shortly after the release of the album to form Cream with drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce, he was replaced in Mayall's band by a young Londoner, 20 year old Peter Green.

While initially having to endure cries of "Where's Eric?" from punters at live shows, Green soon silenced them with his fiery playing, incredible tone and vibrato, going on to on to win the respect and admiration of fans and peers alike. Dubbed the "Green God", his incendiary fretwork went on to be an inspiration to Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, Gary Moore, all the way to modern day disciples such as Joe Bonamassa.

In 1967, Green decided to form his own blues band and left the Bluesbreakers. That band was Fleetwood Mac.

One man who was there in the midst of it all was guitarist Jeremy Spencer.

Discovered while part of Lichfield, Staffordshire band The Levi Set Blues Band by Mike Vernon, the legendary producer soon brought Spencer to the attention of guitarist Peter Green. Upon hearing Jeremy for the first time, he immediately asked him to join the band he was forming, reportedly remarking to the guitarist that he was "the first guitarist to make him smile since Hendrix".

The new band, consisting of Green's ex bandmate from Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Mick Fleetwood on drums, and original bassist Bob Brunning, was initially called "Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac featuring Jeremy Spencer".

Later condensed to the much shorter Fleetwood Mac the band's repertoire at the time was mainly straight ahead Chicago styled blues, with Spencer's Elmore James influenced slide guitar being as much of a contribution as Green's heavily B.B. King styled blues playing in the early years of the band. Soon bassist Brunning, who was only a temporary member from the beginning, was replaced by John McVie, who Green had wanted from the beginning, but whom was hesitant at first to leave Mayall's Bluesbreakers.

It was this incarnation of the band who scored with their 1968 debut recording, simply entitled "Fleetwood Mac', also referred to as 'Dog & Dustbin' due to the album art, crashing into the top 5 of the Official U.K. Albums chart. The record plateaued at # 4 during a four month chart residency. So authentic were the performances it led to Melody Maker to rave, calling it "The best English blues LP ever released here". After the release of the first album, hailed as the new crusaders of the English blues movement, the band were on the fast track to success.

A few months after the release of the second LP, 'Mr. Wonderful', having added a third guitarist Danny Kirwan, they had huge commercial success with the Green penned instrumental 'Albatross' which hit #1 on the British singles charts, also having the distinction of being the inspiration for The Beatles' composition "The Sun King" on their classic 'Abbey Road' album'. According to some accounts a tribute to Peter Green, it serves as illustration the high regard they were accorded by rock royalty at the time.

Several more high charting singles in the form of "Man Of The World", "Oh Well" and "The Green Manalishi(With The Two-Prong Crown)" followed, all reaching the Top 10 of the UK charts, resulting in Fleetwood Mac, according to Melody Maker, outselling both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones during this time period.

However, at this time, which should have seen the band rise to international stardom, things began to irretrievably crumble. Green was becoming disillusioned and estranged from the music business. Like many of the time, the guitarist experimented with psychedelic drugs, which combined with the pressures of adulation and increasing fame, made him turn increasingly away from materialism and towards spirituality.

This new found mindset led him to resign from Fleetwood Mac in 1970 following a disagreement over his wish to donate the band's royalties to the fight against Third World starvation. A noble gesture, perhaps, but not one which was shared by the other members of the band.

The sudden departure of their most prominent songwriter certainly threw the band into despondency. However, with the addition of Chicken Shack's Christine Perfect (Later McVie) on keyboards and vocals, they soldiered on for the sessions which were to become 1970's 'Kiln House'. Suddenly without Green, the band relied on the contributions of guitarists Spencer and Kirwan heavily, giving the recordings a much different, more laid back feel than 'Then Play On' released only a year prior.

Fame, success and drugs, the pressure of being thrust into the spotlight, and an increasing alienation in musical direction took their toll once again, this time on Jeremy Spencer.

During a US tour in 1971, Spencer left his hotel to visit a book shop and did not return. He was eventually tracked down and found to have joined the religious group Children of God, and declared that he no long wanted to be part of the band.

After leaving the band, Spencer spent the next two and half decades pursuing spiritual concerns. Travelling across the world, much of this time period is shrouded in mystery and myth. Little was heard from the guitarist in this period, although two albums were released in the 70's which had little commercial success.

In 1998, Spencer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame as a founding member of Fleetwood Mac.

In 2006 he released a new album, 'Precious Little' , which showed the guitarist returning to the slide guitar dominated blues he was renowned for while a member of Fleetwood Mac. Recorded over five days in 2005 in a Norway studio during the Notodden Blues Festival, it was given universal critical acclaim as a return to form, with AllMusic calling it "Worth the wait".

2012's 'Bend In The Road', a similarly styled blues offering, recorded with Detroit based musicians was given the same reception by fans and critics alike.

Now it's 2014, and Spencer not only has a new album, 'Coventry Blue' culled from the same Detroit sessions that produced 2012’s critically acclaimed “Bend in the Road”, due to be released early March via Propelz Records, but also is embarking on his first tour of the United States in 43 years.

Recently we had the wonderful opportunity to catch up with Jeremy to discuss the new album, the tour, his days in Fleetwood Mac, and much more. Join us as we have an exclusive conversation with one of the world's premier slide guitarists, Jeremy Spencer. Click here

Monday, July 16, 2012

It is with great sadness that we report that former Deep Purple keyboard legend Jon Lord has passed away. He was 71.

A statement on Lord's official website says the Leicester, England-born musician suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism in London on Monday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Lord, considered one of the finest to ever play the instrument, was a founding member of Deep Purple, continuing to record and perform with the band until his retirement in 2002.

It was Lord's pioneering fusion of classical influences with heavy rock which helped propel the band to international fame during the early 70's on such classic albums as 1970's 'In Rock', 1971's 'Fireball' and 1972's 'Machine Head', which includes the iconic "Smoke On The Water", which the keyboardist co-wrote with guitarist Ritchie Blackmore.

In the interim between Deep Purple's first breakup in 1975 until their reformation in 1984, Lord was also a member of British blues rockers Whitesnake alongside former Purple bandmates drummer Ian Paice and vocalist David Coverdale. He was also 1/3 of Paice, Ashton & Lord, who released one album 'Malice In Wonderland' in 1977.

In addition to releasing numerous solo albums, Lord also did many studio sessions, including The Kinks' "Really Got Me" in 1964, also appearing on albums by ex Beatle George Harrison, Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, Scottish hard rockers Nazareth and many others.

Lord's last solo album 'To Notice Such Things', released in 2010, entered the UK's official classical chart at #4.

His Concerto for Group and Orchestra, re-recorded by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and a selection of invited guests, including blues rock titan Joe Bonamassa, current Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse and Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickenson, is set to be released by Edel Records in September.

Up until July 2012, Lord had been working on material with recently formed rock supergroup WhoCares, also featuring singer Ian Gillan from Deep Purple, guitarist Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath, second guitarist Mikko Lindström from HIM, bassist Jason Newsted formerly from Metallica and drummer Nicko McBrain from Iron Maiden.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

New Mexico may rightfully be known as "The Land Of Enchantment" for its abundance of sunshine, mild weather, vivid blue skies and spectacular scenery, but one thing it is not known for is blues rock guitar heroes. Certainly there are exceptional regional musicians in the genre, such as Santa Fe's Alex Maryol and Albuquerque's Todd Tijerina, and have been for years, but none have truly been able to break through in an international way. That situation however has begun to change with the emergence of native son Ryan McGarvey.

Born in Albuquerque in 1986, it's safe to say McGarvey was destined to be a musician. Enchanted by the guitar almost immediately, by age two he was given his first acoustic. By age six he was inspired by classic hard rock to pick up the instrument in earnest, and has never looked back since.

Thus began his journey as a musician, playing local clubs, even while still a teen, wowing crowds throught the Southwest. Displaying an amazing guitar technique during performances which normally could stretch out to over four hours long, it wasn't long before he was taken notice of. Leading to McGarvey appearing with and/or sharing the bill with such well established performers as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, ZZ Top, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Blue Oyster Cult, Joe Bonamassa, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi, Wishbone Ash, Back Door Slam, Gov't Mule, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and many more.

In 2007 McGarvey released his debut album, the critically acclaimed 'Forward In Reverse'. Although recorded when he was still but 19 years old, it demonstrated through the album's 10 self penned tracks not only was he an exceptionally talented guitarist, but had the impeccable knack for writing strong, memorable compositions as well. One of which, "Cryin' Over You" took home honors as "Blues Song Of The Year" in the 2007 New Mexico Music awards.

Evidence of his growing popularity amongst fans of the blues rock genre was the fact that in 2010 the guitarist was chosen from a field of over 4,000 hopefuls via fan votes to appear at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival - An event which has served to propel his career into a much higher gear. Three successful tours of Europe have followed, each one serving to broaden and expand his fanbase.

After a long, five year gap between releases, McGarvey is back with a brand new album 'Redefined'. A much more mature and confident offering than his debut, the material - ranging from the hard driving blues rocker "Blues Knockin' At My Door" all the way to the Tommy Emmanuel by way of Joe Bonamassa influenced acoustic workout "Four Graces" - states a very strong musical case for the 25 year old to be ranked firmly amongst the rising stars of the recently burgeoning neo blues rock movement.

Recently we had the opportunity to catch up with the guitarist at home in New Mexico to discuss the brand new album, his recent successful tours of Europe, what the future may hold for him, and so much more. Please join us as we have an exclusive interview with one of blues rock guitar's rising young guns, Ryan McGarvey. Click here for the interview.

The album is mastered by Brian Lucey, who also mastered The Black Keys' newest album El Camino! as well as the latest album from 2011 winners of the best British blues band, Oli Brown's 'Here I Am' and the upcoming album from 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival Contest Winner Ryan McGarvey, 'Redefined' due out June 9th in North America.

Here's a taste in the form of Iggy Pop and Cream/Blind Faith drum legend Ginger Baker doing their take on "Lonely Boy" :

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Official Charts Company is reporting that according to today’s Official Albums Chart Update, blues rock guitar hero Joe Bonamassa is on track to upset the Official Albums Chart applecart by scoring his first UK chart topper, leading an almighty invasion of rock entries on today’s Official Chart Update.

Internationally acclaimed blues star Bonamassa looks set to knock reigning chart chaps Keane off Number 1 with his new release, Driving Towards The Daylight. The Kevin Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Black Crowes, Iron Maiden) produced album features Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford, Beach Boys collaborator Blondie Chaplin, ex-Meatloaf guitarist Pat Thrall and former Kiss session drummer Anton Fig, among others. The release is Bonamassa’s lucky 13th studio album, and looks set to become the New York guitar hero’s highest charting album to date (2011’s Dust Bowl got to Number 12 on the Official Albums Chart).

"New Coat Of Paint" from the brand new album 'Driving Towards The Daylight"

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Award winning author and journalist Alan Paul, Senior Writer at Guitar World Magazine has just released a brand new digital Ebook chronicling the history of Southern Rock legends The Allman Brothers.

Entitled 'One Way Out : An Oral History Of The Allman Brothers Band', the book is culled from hundreds of hours of interviews, all conducted by Paul, detailing the career of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers from past to present.

The book includes the most in-depth look at the acrimonious 2000 parting with founding guitarist Dickey Betts; an intense discussion of Dickey Betts and Duane Allman’s revolutionary guitar styles; thorough behind-the-scenes information on the recording of At Fillmore East, Layla, Eat A Peach and other classic albums.

Music legend and original YES vocalist and songwriter Jon Anderson will be playing select concert dates this summer in support of his critically acclaimed new digital download release ‘OPEN’.

Jon Anderson, who has one of the most recognizable voices in music, and is best known for his work with YES, Vangelis and Kitaro, as well as his innovative solo efforts, recently completed several successful tours of the US and South America. The new summer tour promises to deliver an exciting mixture of material from Jon Anderson’s prolific solo career, collaborations with Vangelis and classic YES songs, along with songs from his latest CD ‘Survival & Other Stories’ and new compositions, highlighted by humorous and enlightening stories told by Jon.

So great to be on tour this summer, always a wonderful evening of fun stories and singing, sing’a'long’a'Yes…why not!!!…come and have a wonderful evening out. – Jon

In other news, on August 8, 2012 Jon will be performing in the UK for the first time in many years at the Sadler’s Wells Theater in London. “The concert in London is with the Slovakian Chamber Orchestra with the help of my good friend composer Peter Machajdik plus a semi acoustic group I performed with a couple of years ago in Bratislava,” says Jon. “We will be performing some classic songs I wrote with Yes and Vangelis, plus some new songs in a concert for ‘Earth and Peace at the 2012 Olympic Games.’ “ http://www.sadlerswells.com

Jon is currently recording part two to his recently released 21-minute musical opus ‘OPEN’ titled ‘Ever’. “Music is constantly happening all around me. I’m busy working on ‘Ever’, a follow up to ‘Open’, part two of my journey into the longer form music I love to create.” Also, Jon is working on the highly anticipated sequel to his critically acclaimed first solo album ‘Olias of Sunhillow’ titled ‘Zamran’ “Zamran is slowly finding me, or I’m slowly finding Zamran (Son of Olias), sometimes good things take time I’m told. with love…many blessings…Jon Anderson”

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Planet Rock is reporting Paul Rodgers says that the band contemplated reforming later this year.

In a new interview with Classic Rock Magazine Paul Rodgers reveals that Free came close to reforming for a special one-off show this year.

Rodgers says: "There was talk of possibly something connected with the Olympics, but I don’t see it coming together now.

"One of the things that is difficult in my mind is that Paul was the soul of the band in many respects, and I hesitate to mess with that.

"If I was going to even think about it, it would mean getting someone who had a really great feel for that particular way in which Paul Kossoff played. The person I think comes closest is Peter Bullick from Debbie Bonham’s band.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

American Blues News is reporting the tragic news that Michael “Iron Man” Burks, the celebrated Arkansas blues master whose attacking style was one of the most powerful in the industry, has passed. It was reported that Burks collapsed in the Atlanta airport on his way back from Italy. He was 54 years old.

Bruce Iglauer, owner of Alligator Records, just released the following statement: “Michael ‘Iron Man’ Burks, the great blues guitarist and singer, has died suddenly. He was returning from a successful tour of Europe and collapsed in customs at the Atlanta airport. He was rushed to the hospital but they were unable to revive him. Michael was a sweet man, hugely talented and deeply soulful. I was proud to have him call me his friend.”

Burks came up in the blues when his bluesman father, a former blues musician, opened a Juke Joint deep in Arkansas. From the incredibly early age of two, Burks was playing guitar and mastering riffs. His amazing fire and power on stage gained the artist an incredible reputation, and in 2001, he joined Alligator Records, releasing Make It Rain, a critically acclaimed masterpiece. The album was a celebrated gem, garnering the attention of many major magazines and publications.

In a chilling and gut-wrenching exchange on Facebook, Michael Burks left a message for his wife Bobbie Burks on Friday evening. “Miss my Wife”, said the big man. Her reply, “Your Wife misses you too! 35 hours and 30 minutes left. I’m excited! 3 1/2 weeks is too long without you!”

His on-stage presence could be described as locomotive in it’s style — world famous for his attacking, searing guitar prowess, Burk blew crowds away at some of the biggest blues festivals in the country. His unique version of electrified, in every sense of the word, delta blues shocked and astounded audiences across the world.

Burks will be dearly missed by his many friends, fans, and family.

Here's Burks performing last night from what would be his final performance May 5th in Zingem, Begium at Zingem Bluesnight :

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Henne Music is reporting that Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse has confirmed some of the plans for a new album by the rock legends.

“In a couple of weeks,” Morse tells Glide magazine, “Deep Purple has a writing session and we’re producing an album with Bob Ezrin, who’s done KISS, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Alice Cooper, and he also worked on the last Kansas album, when I was with Kansas. So he’s one of my favorite producers and that’s going to be our studio album. It’s probably going to be more of an extravaganza.”

Purple have been talking on and off for some time about their reluctance to do a new project while they continue their endless touring cycle, but Morse says the band is aware that time is moving forward without new music.

“Everybody realizes we’re not going to do this forever,” he explains, “so to me it feels like this is a really important album to do well. So we’ve got that coming up and mixed in with that, and that is most of the summer with the album, and then I have to leave when they’re doing vocals on that to do the G3 tour.”

Black Sabbath will play an intimate homecoming show at O2 Academy in Birmingham on Saturday, May 19 as a warm-up for their headlining set at this year’s Download Festival. The band also plans to play at this year’s Lollapalooza festival, which runs from August 3 to 5 at Grant Park in downtown Chicago.

Sabbath have not yet confirmed whether original drummer Bill Ward will be part of the reunion, but Ozzy, guitarist Tony Iommi and bass player Geezer Butler have been working on a new album in London. The album will be their first full-length recording together in 33 years.

The band's original touring plans were put on hold when Iommi was diagnosed with cancer. The original European dates have been replaced with “Ozzy & Friends” concerts, which will feature Ozzy’s core band of guitarist Gus G, bass player Blasko and drummer Tommy Clufetos, as well as special guests Zakk Wylde, Slash and Geezer Butler.

Tickets for the O2 show go on sale at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 4 and are priced at £4.

Blues Rock guitar titan Joe Bonamassa has released the first video from his upcoming 13th album in the form of the title track, 'Driving Towards The Daylight'.

The album, set for world-wide release through J&R Adventures May 21st in Europe and May 22 in North America, also features performances from Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford and his son Harrison, Blondie Chaplin (guitar), Anton Fig (drums and percussion), Arlan Schierbaum (keyboard), Michael Rhodes (bass), Carmine Rojas (bass), Jeff Bova and The Bovaland Brass, Pat Thrall (guitar) and Aussie rock vocal legend Jimmy Barnes (Cold Chisel).

Driving Towards The Daylight was produced by Kevin “Caveman” Shirley (Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin), making this Bonamassa and Shirley’s seventh album collaboration in six years.
The album will also be released in a Limited Edition Digibook format, which includes a 72 page booklet with exclusive photos and interview with Bonamassa. (Photo credit : Arnie Goodman)

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

"I met Ryan in 2006 and was very impressed at the depth of his influence
and his ability to put said influences together in his own way.. To
watch him grow as a artist and to hear his name mentioned to me as much
as it has is a testament to his hard work and skill."~ Joe Bonamassa

Some may question the wisdom and rationale of taking five years before releasing a follow-up to a critically acclaimed debut album. Especially when said album, although widely respected was not, in this day and age of manufactured pop stars and divas - a charting album. Some might even say, "Boy you're a stone cold fool"...and, in most cases they would be right.

However, that's exactly what 25 year old Albuquerque based blues rock guitarist Ryan McGarvey did between the release of 2007's 'Forward In Reverse' and 2012's long awaited sophomore album, the aptly titled 'Redefined'. Whether or not some may question the motives, the time and effort were obviously worth it. For with this release, McGarvey states a very strong musical case to be ranked amongst the finest in the as of late burgeoning blues rock scene, alongside such well established players such as Joe Bonamassa, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Walter Trout and Philip Sayce.

From the opening notes of the album's lead off track, "All The Little Things", you certainly get a sense that you are in for a very special ride. Commencing with delicately picked acoustic guitar notes, the track soon burst wide open with an acoustic rhythm which is a musical cousin to Kenny Wayne Shepherd's "Blue On Black", only harder edged. Layered guitars give way to short bursts of fleet fingered lead work before building to a crescendo of power chords to end the track.

"Never Seem To Learn" is more of a straight ahead riff rocker which takes him out of the blues rock realm for a spell. Which is continued on the next track, "My Sweet Angel". , its repeated guitar line motif driving the song along before metamorphosising into a full blown hard rocker, the high production values adding to the overall effect of the song.

"Starry Night" begins with Hendrix by way of Eric Johnson influenced licks, but quickly morphs into a rocking mode that Eric rarely visits. Featuring a Bonamassa-esque guitar solo, the track is certainly one of many highlights on the disc.

"Blues Knockin' At My Door" is one of the rare straight ahead blues rockers on the album. McGarvey shines on slide here, appropriating the right amount of grittiness to push the song through convincingly.

"Prove Myself" is a prime slice of funk- blues, which is much funkier than a white boy from Albuquerque has any right to be. On top of a slinky, pulsing, grooving rhythm courtesy of bassist Sam Miller and drummer August Johnson, McGarvey builds the track from smoldering to the point where finally when he solos he literally explodes, resulting in an exhilerating guitar experience. One of the definite highlights of this disc, it's a clear demonstration of the instrumental prowess which led him to be chosen out of hundreds of entrants to appear at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2010.

The next track "Blue Morning Night" might at first listen appear to be somewhat of a letdown in comparison, but it's only side by side with the previous song where it may appear such. Taken on its own, it is a fine composition which by the time the guitar solo appears has redeemed itself quite nicely.

"So Close To Heaven", quite possibly the best composition song-wise McGarvey has written thus far follows. In terms of overall mood, featuring guitar lines which seemingly fall from the sky,it contains a majestic soaring solo which has to be the best he has put forth on record as yet. Relatively brief, it shows economy and power in its phrasing and demonstrates his impressive ability to build drama in what he plays, and takes the song to another level, musically speaking.

The straight ahead, uptempo rocker "Downright Insane" is next. Once again, compared to the previous track it's bound to be a bit of a comedown, but overall it's not a bad track, just not up to the standard set previously. It does contain a fiery guitar solo at mid point which elevates it to the more than listenable category, and at a little over two and half minutes it does pass rather quickly.

The bluesy "Pennies" returns the album to memorable phase. Over a slow, steady groove, McGarvey impresses both vocally and guitar-wise. Featuring yet another very impressive solo , it also shows he can play deep in the pocket when necessary.

The album ends on a high note with the instrumental acoustic guitar piece "Four Graces". Featuring blindingly fast fingerpicking, it's bound to draw comparisons to Joe Bonamassa's "Woke Up Dreaming". The fact that it can hold its own against that composition speaks volumes concerning the quality of the fretwork on display, and if there be any doubts prior regarding the talent McGarvey possesses as a player, this proves it so in a convincing fashion.

Production on the album is absolutely stellar. Recorded and mixed at Santa Fe, New Mexico's Frogville Studios by McGarvey and Bill Palmer, subsequently mastered to perfection by Brian Lucey (The Black Keys, Dr. John, Oli Brown, The Shins) the sound is top notch all the way through. Much more a full fledged rock rather than a typical blues album production, the bass is punchy yet still retaining instrument definition. Dense but at the same time articulate, this is a release which should be listened to on a high end audio system rather than earbuds on an iPod or cheap computer speakers in order to truly appreciate the tonal qualities and sonic nuances on display.

Quickly becoming one of the most adept practitioners of the genre, McGarvey's brand of uncompromising high-octane guitar driven Blues-Rock, combined with extremely strong songwriting and evocative lyrics are certain to have him favorably compared with the greats Only time will tell whether this album will be considered a classic or not - but one thing is certain : In a year which has already seen fine releases from Lance Lopez, Walter Trout, Oli Brown, Philip Sayce etc. and will soon see yet another release by Joe Bonamassa, 'Redefined' is sure to rank amongst the top albums of the year.

As guitar wizard Chris Duarte recently remarked from the stage after jamming with McGarvey, "He's the next young lion out there. He's the total package, and it's not going to be long". Based on the evidence presented on this album, that time is now. Highly recommended. For more info on Ryan McGarvey go to this location. ( 'Redefined', the new album from Ryan McGarvey is due out May 2012 in Europe, June 2012 in North America.)

"Starry Night" from the album 'Redefined', live Albuquerque, New Mexico April 2012

Monday, April 16, 2012

On April 14th, 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio for the induction of the late, great blues guitarist Freddie King into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, ZZ Top members Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill were joined onstage by guitarists Derek Trucks and Joe Bonamassa for a jam which included King's classics "Goin' Down" and the instrumental "Hideaway".

King, who passed away at the age of 42 in December 1976, had a twenty-year recording career and became established as an influential guitarist with hits for Federal Records in the early 1960s. He has inspired American musicians such as Duane Allman, Jerry Garcia, Stevie Ray Vaughan and his brother Jimmie Vaughan, Johnny Winter and others. His influence was also felt in the UK, through recordings by blues revivalists such as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Peter Green, John Mayall the late Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher and many, many more. Latter day disciples of King include the aforementioned Joe Bonamassa, Texas based guitarist Buddy Whittington, and the late Jeff Healey.

Here is fan produced video of that performance, live at the 27th Annual Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Public Hall in Cleveland, Ohio :

Sunday, April 15, 2012

The second annual Ritchie Blackmore Protégé Shred Off competition winner has been announced. This years’ winner goes to Matteo Bizzarri from Ferrara, Italy for his piece entitled 'Blackmoresque Medley' which can be seen below. Bizzarri created his under three-minute composition as “a medley of several different songs from my band (VOODOO HIGHWAY).”

Jim Manngard, Ritchie Blackmore’s long-time guitar technician, sound tech, and personal assistant since 1985, led the decision by three-judge panel in declaring this years’ winner. Along with Manngard, rounding out the three-judge panel was second-year judge Andy DiGelsomina, the composer-guitarist for the Wagnerian opera metal project Lyraka, and Keith Langerman, owner of Nightwatcher’s House of Rock blog.

Says Manngard, “Matteo’s composition had a good vibrato and picking technique that combined the elements of Classical, Blues, Hard Rock, Baroque, Medieval, and Renaissance – very reminiscent of Ritchie’s playing style (throughout his career). The riff grooved. The solo and outro had a good, tasty feel to it. I liked the ‘vibe’ and the ‘attack’ along with the delicate work of picking and inflection.”

DeGelsomina added, “He not only followed the rules (of the contest), but great playing, especially in the second half of the video, where he got more creative.”

Langerman ended with, “Matteo’s Bizzarri’s 'Blackmoresque Medley' exemplified best the spirit of Ritchie’s playing, which has been a hallmark throughout his career.”

Entries for this years’ competition not only arrived from Italy, but Spain, Sweden, Finland, The Netherlands, France, Russia, and the United States. Each were posted on The Ritchie Blackmore Protégé Shred Off – 2011 Facebook.

The top prize is a plaque with the person’s name, city and country of origin, and the current year.

The competition is hosted by the Official Induct Ritchie Blackmore Into The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame organization. organization. Check them out on Facebook.

Voodoo Highway says: “Thank you all for the huge support, and obviously to Jim Manngard (Blackmore’s guitar tech), Andy DiGelsomina and Keith Langerman for choosing the Voodoo Highway’s trademark.”

Thursday, April 5, 2012

On May 22, 2012, internationally renowned blues rock guitar titan Joe Bonamassa will release a brand new solo album Driving Towards The Daylight via J&R Adventures. His 13th album was produced by Kevin “Caveman” Shirley (Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin). This is their seventh collaboration in six years.

Recorded at Studio At The Palms in Las Vegas, NV, The Village Recorder in Los Angeles, CA and The Cave in Malibu, CA, Driving Towards The Daylight is a balanced back-to-basics album that highlights Bonamassa’s signature style of roots blues with rock-and-roll guts, while honoring the traditions of the original blues musicians. “We’ve taken some really traditional old blues songs – the Howlin’ Wolf song ‘Who’s Been Talkin’?’ and the Robert Johnson song ‘Stones In My Passway,’ and we’ve tried to imagine how they would do them in a rock context,” said Shirley. “It’s a very exciting return to the blues in a very visceral way. It’s vibrant and it’s gutsy and it’s really, really rugged.”

Brad Whitford, speaking from the studio in Vegas, said, “This is definitely more influenced by the stuff that the guys and musicians in this room love, early ‘60s English and American rock and blues. I guess we’ll never get that out of our system and its fun to come in here and find our own path down that highway.”

The album features four Bonamassa-penned originals including the bruising opener “Dislocated Boy,” the road warrior title track (and first single) “Driving Towards The Daylight,” “Heavenly Soul,” and “Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go.” Other tracks include Bonamassa’s versions of Tom Waits’ “New Coat Of Paint,” “Lonely Town Lonely Street,” by Bill Withers (Lean On Me, Ain’t No Sunshine), “A Place In My Heart” by Bernie Marsden of Whitesnake (Here I Go Again), and “I Got All You Need,” by Willie Dixon, widely considered the “father of modern Chicago blues.” On the album closer, Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes sings lead vocals on his 1987 hit "Too Much Ain't Enough Love."

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

According to Billboard.com, Jay Bulger's documentary on legendary Cream/Blind Faith drummer Ginger Baker called Beware Of Mr. Baker won the Documentary Grand Jury prize Tuesday night (March 13) at the South by Southwest film awards, but where it might screen next is under wraps.

"We have been accepted to a bunch of festivals, but they have told us not to tell anyone," Fisher Stevens, one of three producers on the film, said on Sunday, the day after Saturday's world premiere screening.

The film will screen one last time in in Austin, on March 16 at the Paramount. "We hope there will be a lot of musicians in the audience," Stevens says, figuring that's a key audience for providing word of mouth marketing.

The second annual Ritchie Blackmore Protégé Shred Off competition has been announced.
Video entries will be accepted from March 20th at 12:01AM through April 7th, at 11:59PM.

Each entry must feature the guitarist playing a Blackmore-esque lead guitar arrangement over a backing that is similarly in a Deep Purple, Rainbow, and/or Blackmore's Night vein way. No actual covers of Blackmore's lead guitar solos or songs will be allowed into the competition.

Andy DiGelsomina, the composer-guitarist for the Wagnerian opera metal project Lyraka will be judging the competition again, along with Keith Langerman, the owner of Nightwatcher's House of Rock and Jim Manngard.

The top prize will be announced on April 14th - Ritchie's 67th birthday. The winner will be awarded a plaque with the person's name, country of origin, and current year.

For more info visit the contest Facebook page. This competition is hosted by the Official Induct Ritchie Blackmore Into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame organization.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Legendary American rock guitarist Ronnie Montrose died yesterday(Saturday, March 3) after a five-year battle with prostate﻿ cancer. He was 64 years old.

Montrose's official web site has been updated with the following message:

"A few months ago, we held a surprise party for Ronnie Montrose's 64th birthday. He gave an impromptu speech, and told us that after a long life, filled with joy and hardship, he didn't take any of our love for granted.

"He passed today. He'd battled cancer, and staved off old age for long enough. And true to form, he chose his own exit the way he chose his own life. We miss him already, but we're glad to have shared with him while we could."

In a September 2011 interview with North County Times, Montrose revealed that he didn't pick up his guitar for two years following his cancer diagnosis. "I had prostate cancer that, for me, was debilitating," he said. "I didn't touch a guitar for two years, but when I realized I was seeing the light at the end of the recovery tunnel and was going to live pain-free, I realized again that it was a fun little instrument to play."

He added, "I've blocked all my health issues out of my mind. That's a portion of my life that I'm done with. Now, I can't wait for every day to come so I can wake up and plug in. I'm up there entertaining myself and my playing is stronger than ever, because my excitement is back."

Ronnie Montrose always followed his heart. Ever anxious to take his music to the next level, in 1979 he founded the trailblazing band Gamma, a group whose trio of ahead-of-their-time albums were an explosion of guitar and synthesizer pyrotechnics anchored by a bluesy edge.

Between and beyond these band forays, Montrose the player devoted himself to exploring instrumental guitar music on landmark albums like "Open Fire" and "The Speed Of Sound". Fans periodically clamored for another taste of the original Montrose power trio format, but he wouldn't revisit Montrose — that huge, heavy sound; those rich, pealing riffs — until the time came when he could do it with total conviction.

Besides his work with Montrose and Gamma, the band he formed with vocalist Davey Pattison in 1979, Montrose also performed with a variety of musicians, including Sammy Hagar, Herbie Hancock, Van Morrison, The Beau Brummels, Boz Scaggs, Beaver & Krause, Gary Wright, Tony Williams, The Neville Brothers, Dan Hartman, Edgar Winter and Johnny Winter.

Montrose "Rock Candy" 1973
Ronnie Montrose Live In New York City 1978 "Town Without Pity"

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Detroit Michigan has a long standing tradition of producing great hard rock and roll bands. The rough and tumble nature of the Motor City has seen numerous bands make it huge on the international scene.

From Ted Nugent's Amboy Dukes, The MC5, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, Grand Funk Railroad (from not too far away Flint, Michigan), Iggy Pop and The Stooges in the mid to late 60's all the way to The White Stripes, and more recently The Muggs and The Detroit Cobras have all made their mark on heavy music throughout the past five decades.

While they are still apparently in the formative stage, with no album released as of this writing, Tripp 'N Dixie, from the small Detroit suburb of Clarkston are apparently starting to make waves in their local scene, garnering positive reviews opening up for larger acts such as The Parlor Mob, Taddy Porter and Saving Abel with their guitar driven retro hard rock influenced music.

Although there isn't much info provided on their online bio, simply stating they are a "Four-piece Rock 'N' Roll group influenced by classic rock and blues with a modern edgy vibe", their music speaks for itself. Not too dissimilar to what rising stars in the making Rival Sons have produced on their excellent sophomore offering 'Pressure & Time', if they keep on the path they're going they very well may prove to have their own fervent following in the not too distant future. For more info on the band go to this location.

Following a successful 2011 that saw Texas blues rocker Lance Lopez tour all over North America and Europe, Lance is back with his new album and follow up to the critically acclaimed 'Salvation From Sundown'. 'Handmade Music' is scheduled for release on March 6th in North America via MIG Music.

The sessions for 'Handmade Music' took place in late June at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. Lance worked with famed producer Jim Gaines (Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, George Thorogood and the Destroyers), engineer Pete Matthews (ZZ Top, Evanesence) and assistant engineer Adam Hill (The White Stripes, Raconteurs) on the recordings.

Lopez spoke at length about the recording process of 'Handmade Music': "Working with Jim Gaines at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee again was amazing! Ardent is a very special place where ZZ Top recorded about 5 records, Led Zeppelin recorded some of Zeppelin II there and Jimmy Page mixed Led Zeppelin III there as well. As a matter of fact we recorded in the same room ZZ Top recorded "Sharp Dressed Man", "Cheap Sunglasses" and most of their biggest hits using the same console. George Thorogood also recorded "Bad To The Bone" in there! 'Handmade Music' was the last album to be recorded in the original room that all the other legendary bands had recorded in the way it was when they were there working."

"As soon as we were finished they totally remodeled the room. It was great to be the one to finalize a legacy in that Studio. So the place just had vibes all in the walls! Having all those vibes together with our team of legendary producer/engineer Jim Gaines who worked with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Miller and Santana and engineers Pete Matthews who worked with ZZ Top and Adam Hill who worked with the White Stripes, was a magical combination!! There is not only vibes at Ardent but also there in Memphis as well. We finished the last album Salvation From Sundown at Ardent and I knew when it came time to do Handmade Music we had to do it all at Ardent. Handmade Music has more of a good old rockin' vibe and we had a lot of fun cutting the tracks there in Memphis. It has some of the best guitar tones I've ever recorded and the band sounds amazing on the new record as well."

"We road tested a lot of the material for about 6 months all over the world. But then after getting in the studio with Jim, who took and shaped and molded the songs even more, they are almost like completely new songs. Once we finished cutting basic tracks at Ardent we moved out to Jim Gaines' Bessy Blue Studio, which is in a 150 year old house in the country on the edge the Shiloh Civil War Battlefield in Stantonville, Tennessee and finished all the overdubs, vocals, and mixing. Jim mixed the album there himself. After he finished mixing the album, he told us it was the best record he's done at Bessy Blue, that made me feel very proud of this album! I truly feel it is some of my best recorded work to date. A majority of our live set now is the material from Handmade Music, every night the material gets better and better so please come out to a show and check it out…"

The album has been receiving rave reviews already upon its late 2011 European release due to Lopez's hard driving yet refined take on Texas blues rock. Consisting mainly of original compositions, it also contains two stellar cover versions, namely Robert Johnson's "Traveling Riverside Blues", and the Beck Bogert & Appice classic "Black Cat Moan".

Look for Lopez to be featured in an upcoming issue of Guitar World magazine, available at a newsstand near you.

Monday, February 27, 2012

The UK's Daily Mail is reporting that Irish rock and blues guitar legend Gary Moore passed away in February 2011 due to a heart attack brought on by the massive amount of alcohol consumed at the start of a holiday in Spain.

Moore, who was found dead in bed at a luxury hotel in the Costa del Sol had 380mg of alcohol per decilitre of blood in his system.

The legal limit for driving in the UK is 80mg of alcohol per decilitre of blood, while the amount associated with fatalities is 30mg.

The tests also revealed the 58 year old Moore had abused alcohol for years. No traces of any illegal drugs were found in his body.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Rock News Desk is reporting that Yes singer Benoit David reveals he’s been sacked over health problems – but the band didn’t tell him, leaving him to discover the news through a press interview.

David was hired after Yes sacked founding member Jon Anderson in 2008 over his own health issues. When the newcomer encountered voice trouble last year the outfit brought in Jon Davidson, originally as a temporary measure.

Now Benoit admits he discovered he won’t be back when he was reading a magazine. But he refuses to show any bitterness, and insists he’s “grateful” for the experience of fronting the band.

In an open letter to fans he explains: “The final three shows of last year’s European tour were cancelled due to my ill health. On my return to Canada I was advised to cease touring for the foreseeable future in order to avoid further damage to my voice.

“I had no alternative but to inform my fellow band members I was unable to confirm my ability for our forthcoming concerts in New Zealand, Australia and Japan.

“I did it with a heavy heart as I felt I was letting everyone down. The band members were very understanding and asked if I would mind being replaced for the April shows. I gave them my blessing. I was pleased to learn Jon would be my replacement – he is an accomplished musician with a fine voice.

“I subsequently learned from a band member’s interview that I had officially left Yes and that my departure was permanent.

“As this is the situation, everyone should know that I will be eternally grateful for the opportunity I was given, and very proud to have contributed to more than 200 concerts and to the Fly From Here and In The Present Live From Lyon albums.”

David adds his thanks to the band’s crew and management, and tells fans: “Please continue with your support of one of the world’s greatest bands: Yes.”

The singer hopes to continue his performing career later this year. His other band Mystery are set to release a new album soon.